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Building Collapse in Philadelphia. 8 to 10 Trapped in Rubble; Witness Describes Building Collapse

Aired June 05, 2013 - 11:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: I want to take you right back to Philadelphia live where police and fire crews and emergency responders are on the scene of a collapsed building, and it is a massive site. If you know this area, it is at the corner of the 22nd and Market Streets. It is apparently an apartment building. An apartment building that has either fully or partially collapsed, but it is a massive zone of rubble, where fire crews have been sifting through, throwing bits and pieces of rubble. And there are reports of eight to 10 people are trapped somewhere in the rubble of that building collapse. Some of these pictures that WPVI sent us a few moments ago show you the extent of the collapse. Either to the left or the right, one of those buildings was scheduled for demolition. Apparently, this appears to be the result. Whether it is related, we are not sure because we are not sure what caused this.

We can tell you this. That you can see the responders sift their way through. We do know they are looking for people. This is mostly a banking area. It's about seven to eight blocks from city hall near the 30 Street Station which is that big train station, if you are familiar with the Philadelphia area.

But here's the other issue that police are finding right now. They want to make sure, because this is an unstable environment, that the public stays away. In fact, they're tweeting it out. They are sending out this tweet. "Building collapse the best way to help is to allow the first responders room to work. Please remain clear of the area of 22nd and market."

This was a four-story building, we are told. At 10:43 eastern time this morning, as you take a look at live pictures from WPVI, our affiliate, the call came in as a collapse with possibly people trapped inside. Now the fire commissioner, Lloyd Ayers (ph), says as many as eight to 10 people are believed trapped somewhere in that rubble. We don't have any word about injury. We don't have any word other than eight to ten potential victims trapped in that rubble.

CNN's Sarah Hoye is live on the phone with us.

Sarah, are you getting further information other than what the fire chief put out and the police have tweeted out?

SARAH HOYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No what we have is what you have stated. This is a fluid situation. Let me tell you about that area. This is a very densely populated part of the city of Philadelphia. It's close to downtown. As you mentioned, it's right by 30th Street Station, one of the nation's largest train stations in the country. So you can imagine the kind of foot traffic, vehicle traffic that goes through there.

BANFIELD: We should also remind people, if are you just tuning in, this is a building collapse we have been following, live. These pictures you are looking at right now were shot a little earlier from our WPVI helicopter camera and it shows some of those first responders, clearly fire officials on the scene sifting through some of that rubble and apparently looking for somewhere between eight to 10 people who were reportedly trapped in this four-story apartment building collapse. It's hard to believe that this was a four-story building. And at the time of the collapse, it's unclear if it was a part of the demolition, but we do know that one building adjacent to this building was scheduled for demolition. We're being told -- and this is a quote, "It appears to be an industrial accident," although, there are no further details about just what kind of industrial accident could have led to this wholesale sort of destruction you are seeing on your screen right now.

Some of the tweets that have come out from police, asking people to please stay away. First they said we are asking the public to stay out of the area to allow the rescue workers access. Now, they have gone further. They say the best way to help is to allow the first responders room to work. Stay clear of the area of 22nd and Market.

Sarah Hoye, I know you are still with us. You mentioned this is such a busy area, within, you know, a few blocks range of the 30th street station. Do you know anything about some of the traffic and the foot traffic around the area currently? Have they blocked this all off? What is happening in that area of Philadelphia right now?

HOYE: Well, I'm en route actually, so I'm not on top of the scene. But in that area, I have been told what you have been told, too, they are pushing people back, keeping some type of barricade up. Like I said I don't have eyes on it at the exact moment. As I was stating earlier, this is a heavy traffic area. You have subway stops that come up right there. That building you were describing was scheduled to be demoed. That's been in the news lately as well. So I mean, this is a popular area. There is a Trader Joe's nearby. They are posted downtown. There are a lot of people that have not heard about it and are coming up on the subway. So law enforcement has their hands full right now. As soon as we get in front of this, I'll get more to you.

BANFIELD: I'm sort of thinking, Sarah, at the time that that initial call came in, the captain of the Philadelphia Fire Department reported it to have really to their attention at 10:43 a.m. Maybe you can give a picture to me at what this area would have been like at that time. It's at the end of rush hour, would it have been busy, would there have been food traffic headed into that area, out of that area approximately at that time?

HOYE: Market Street is pretty busy all of the time. It still is pretty close to your rush hour. It's trailing off at that moment, but it's still pretty busy. You also have trains coming in from New York around that time. So there's all their other traffic near that 30th Street Station. So it's just the main thoroughfare. Market Street connects the city from one end to the other. So it's a heavily used thoroughfare.

BANFIELD: Again, our headline, as you are looking at these pictures of firefighters sifting through rubble in this apartment building collapse, a four-story apartment collapses, that the Philadelphia fire commission, Lloyd Ayers (ph), has reported as many as eight to 10 people believed trapped somewhere amid that rubble. We are continuing to check our sources and find out everything we can.

In the meantime, a quick break. Back right after this.

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BANFIELD: I want to continue our breaking news as we have been covering this building collapse in Philadelphia. You are seeing some of the aerial views of what has become known as a very stressful situation. Eight to 10 people according to commissioner, the fire commissioner in Philadelphia are apparently trapped in rubble of that collapsed building. What we are being told is that what was standing there at 10:43 this morning was a four-story apartment complex. This is the result of that collapse. There you can see the responders sifting through that rubble. Now that the fire commissioner has confirmed they are looking for eight to 10 people apparently trapped.

All we can tell you is that it was said it was an industrial accident. But very few details other than that are being released. We know that an ad giant building -- adjacent building was scheduled for demolition. Means if it took out a support wall of this structure, we are not sure yet. It is unclear this building was scheduled for demolition, clearly, if there were people inside.

Here's the other thing. If you look at sort of the right-hand wall where those firefighters are standing, seems to have collapsed outwards towards the street. You see the white truck. It is possible they who were trapped could have been out on the street as opposed to the building. We have no idea whether that building had been evacuated of its residents or there were people inside. We do know there were eight to 10 people apparently trapped.

CNN's Don Lemon joins me.

This has to have the Philadelphia fire responders, police responders and all emergency responders really very concerned about this entire neighborhood.

DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Ashleigh, I used to live 15 blocks from there. Market Street runs right through the center of Philadelphia. It's a busy, busy business area. It's like downtown or Midtown Manhattan, really.

I just got off the phone with a couple sources there. It's 22nd and Market. A four-story building at the original collapse. It's listed as an apartment building. That's with the city. It's probably a mixed-use building if it's in that part of the city.

According to the folks that I spoke to eight people who were taken to area hospitals, five of them I am told are if serious condition. And they're saying that the mayor is going to speak in a little bit to update the public on exactly what's going on.

But as can see, there is video of the scene of people pulled out of the structure, pulled out. They're still looking for people as well. Again, this is a very serious situation in a busy part of town.

BANFIELD: Don, did you say eight people taken to the hospital? How many in serious condition?

LEMON: Five in serious condition of the eight taken to the hospital.

BANFIELD: But no word on whether they were residents or people who happened to be in the street, caught in the collapse of that from above?

LEMON: No word. I had been seeking sources who are there in the fire department and people who are actually working in the city. They're saying it's such a chaotic scene. I'm on my way now. They're trying to figure it out. Obviously, a building collapse. This early on, it would be hard to figure out who those people are, they are not going to run out of the building say, I'm a resident here, or a part of the construction crew, what have you. They're working to figure that out. I would imagine when the mayor speaks in a couple minutes, whenever the city gets ready to do it, we'll find out more about it.

Again, there was a building next door slated for demolition. I don't think this particular building was slated for demolition. The one next door was. Again, 22nd and Market. It's the heart of the city. It's where everybody goes to do business in Philadelphia in that area, Market and Broad, and the big streets we know about. It's actually not far from city hall.

BANFIELD: Don, stand by. Don't go anywhere if you would, please.

I want to recap for those who might be just joining us, should know. That is, in Philadelphia, those firefighters are apparently searching for eight to 10 people strapped in the collapse of what was once at least listed as a four-story apartment building. Don Lemon working his sources, saying eight people have been taken to the hospital. Five in serious condition.

You are seeing on your screen our shot from WPVI, our affiliate. This was the scene moments ago. Because this is a chaotic scene and the city has been asking people to clear away, it's been difficult for media to get updated shots as well. So it is possible, as Don Lemon reported, taken to the hospital have been recovered. It's unclear whether already still additionally eight to 10 more people according to Philadelphia fire commissioner, Lloyd Ayers (ph), who were seeking rescue from that rubble. Again, we are working our source, gathering information.

A quick break. More after this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: I want to continue our breaking news coverage with some dramatic pictures that were shot at this collapsed building in Philadelphia. You are seeing one of the rescues underway as some of the responders were trying to dig out people trapped in that building collapse. Obviously, our live affiliate is showing some of those pictures. This is the scene after what was listed with the city as a four-story apartment building suddenly collapsed this morning. The call coming in to the fire department at about 10:43 this morning. And the fire commissioner, Lloyd Ayers (ph), reporting eight to 10 people trapped.

Some of the earlier pictures from WPVI showing us fire officials, crews on the scene, literally throwing bricks, tiny pieces of rubble looking for who may be trapped. That shot you saw earlier -- there you go, we're showing it again -- rescue crews getting one of those victims.

Our Don Lemon actually worked his sources and was able to find out eight to 10 people were taken to area hospitals. Apparently, five of them in serious condition.

And you can see just from our video that those may have been among the count that was reported to our Don Lemon. But just really a remarkable scene.

Apparently, an adjacent building was scheduled for demolition. This building, however, unexpectedly collapsed. And you can see the extent of that collapse as well. This is such a busy area in Philadelphia. 22nd and Market Street.

We are now being told that OSHA investigators are on the way to the scene and it's now being called a demolition accident after originally being called an industrial accident. Now, a demolition accident. Interesting because the demolition was not scheduled for that building. Whether it was a mistake, it's unclear, whether a supporting wall of another demolition gave way.

I wanted to show you what this looked like, this structure, before. This is the view from Google Earth of what the structure looked like before. You can see the Hoagie City at street level. Above it four apartment floors, at least that's how it was listed with the city. But as Don Lemon was able to find out as well, often times in this area these buildings are mixed use.

And across the street, just disappearing out of your screen there is a Trader Joe's and a large apartment complex on Market Street, a very upscale area and just adjacent apparently, caddy corner, a museum, art gallery.

Sarah Hoye is en route.

Have you made it there yet? Do you have any observations you can lend? HOYE: Yes, Ashleigh, I am on the scene here in Philadelphia by this building. And they have closed the streets. They are holding people back. And firefighters are working. So there is a large crowd gathering here on the corners. And everybody's waiting to see what is happening.

Moments before, when you were talking about the rescue, there were a number of fire department officials who were working on the street and actually a quiet came over this crowd. Everyone has their cell phones out paying attention to what's going on.

But this is a very busy area. For me to have walked up on the scene and for it to have been that quiet, just let you know there was a change in the air, something had happened and everybody was paying attention. We'll have to wait to see what the latest update is.

BANFIELD: Sarah, let me interrupt you. This is a live interview of a witness. Let's listen in.

JORDAN MCLAUGHLIN, WITNESS: The building collapsed the wrong way and it landed on a thrift shop and there was people inside of the thrift shop. Before the building collapsed, you saw one person walk in. So it was scary. What happened next was I dropped my stuff and I tried to help people out. There was a wooden roof covered with metal. And we pulled people out. We ended up getting two people out. I personally did. There was four or five people that were found within the first 10, 15 minutes.

UNIDENTIFIED KYW REPORTER: Wow.

MCLAUGHLIN: After that they told everyone that was from the street -- the first responders told us to leave once the fire engines came.

UNIDENTIFIED KYW REPORTER: Were people yelling? What was the just emotional state at the time? Did it look as though people were severely injured?

MCLAUGHLIN: There was -- well, what happened when the building collapsed was there was people standing on the corner that was right next to the thrift shop. The building was like it had really big aftershock on the ground. You felt it shake. There was people that actually fell over. People started screaming, they ran across the street. There was people inside the building, you heard them scream. And then we went over to the building and said, can you hear us, can you hear us, say something. And we tried to find the people.

UNIDENTIFIED KYW REPORTER: You said "we," how many other people were coming to the aid?

MCLAUGHLIN: There was construction workers nearby. Probably 10, 15 construction workers. And after 10 or 15 minutes, they told us to leave. And the first responders, the firefighters came. After five minutes, the fire company right down here came, maybe even shorter. And they came and they worked alongside with the construction workers and I and other people from the street. UNIDENTIFIED KYW REPORTER: How are you feeling now that you've just had a minute to kind of take this in? You instinctively went in to help people and your life could have been in danger?

MCLAUGHLIN: I'm just happy that I made the right decision to try and help people. That's, you know -- I'm healthy, I'm young, I can try and help someone. I know there's a lot of older people that shop at that thrift store. And --

UNIDENTIFIED KYW REPORTER: I was going to ask you, describe the ages of some of the people you saw in there.

(CROSSTALK)

MCLAUGHLIN: They're all above 50 except for maybe one lady that we pulled out. She might have been in her mid-30s.

UNIDENTIFIED KYW REPORTER: OK.

MCLAUGHLIN: They were all shopping. There was actually like clothes that you could see against the wall and stuff.

UNIDENTIFIED KYW REPORTER: And how long before officials arrived in terms of how long you and some of the other construction crews were helping to pull some of these people out of the debris?

MCLAUGHLIN: The first fire company arrived three to five minutes after. And then afterwards, no one showed up for another 10 minutes or so. And then there was a lot of people, firefighters, and they came. And then they told all of the people from the street that were trying to help to leave.

UNIDENTIFIED KYW REPORTER: How many people were you successfully able to pull out of the rubble?

MCLAUGHLIN: Personally, I helped pull out two. There was five people that had been pulled out after the first ten minutes that were seen. There was two other people that were seen afterwards. And then there was a big pile of bricks. And they believe there might have been people in there. So the firefighters told us to leave. They did -- I believe what they have was an infrared scanner trying to scan to find people's body heat, so.

UNIDENTIFIED KYW REPORTER: Did you instantly know this was a situation of a building collapse? Or was there ever a thought this might be something bigger than that?

MCLAUGHLIN: Well, I knew that someone came in, walked in. And they've been doing construction on that building for three or four weeks now.

UNIDENTIFIED KYW REPORTER: And you walked by there many times?

MCLAUGHLIN: Correct. And when the building collapsed, I knew it wasn't an abandoned building that fell on right next to it. UNIDENTIFIED KYW REPORTER: OK. Well, Jordan, thank you so much for just talking to us. We're going to standby and get some of that video that you were able to take of this when it happened.

But, again, this is Jordan McLaughlin that you heard from, an eyewitness who was obviously there when this happened, and just describing for us his efforts in trying to save people who were buried under the rubble when this building collapsed --

BANFIELD: Some of the live reporting from our affiliate, KYW, as they interviewed a witness to this building collapse named Jordan McLaughlin. He himself pulled two people out. He witnessed four to five people being found in the first 15 minutes out of that collapse. He said the power of that collapse made the ground shake and made other people in the street fall over. Apparently construction workers nearby, about 10 to 15 of them immediately went to try to rescue people. Fire crews arriving within three to five minutes. He personally witnessed people aged between 30 and 50 years old who had been shopping in the thrift store next door, which seems to have taken on the brunt of the damage, he personally witnessed them being pulled out of that rubble.

One other mention of detail that Jordan McLaughlin just told that KYW reporter is that it appears crews were using infrared scanners to try to find other victims who they believe to be buried beneath the many bricks and debris of that collapsed building.

I'm going to turn over the reporting duties to my colleagues, Suzanne Malveaux and Michael Holmes.

I'm Ashleigh Banfield, reporting live.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Suzanne Malveaux.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Michael Holmes.

Our thanks to you, Ashleigh.

MALVEAUX: Straight to the breaking news. We are watching these pictures as you watch them here. This is breaking news. This is Philadelphia. You are seeing here, this is an apartment building that has collapsed now. Firefighters, you can see there, literally searching through the rubble right now hand by hand. They are walking through.